Like Calls To Like
by Wings of Sonder
Summary: What am I? A warrior? Saint? Sun Summoner? A Darkling? What I am, and what I will cease to forget, is that I am none of these. I am Eladis, daughter of Sankta Alina and The Darkling, raised of Keremzin by Malyen and Alina Oretsev. I am light. I am dark. I am everything. The Grisha call me Datch'mi Itsevtya, but you can call me whatever you wish.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

It was not many months before whispers darted through the house, rumors of a child the couple would bear. The staff murmured excitedly despite their doubts about the sanity of the girl and the boy.

More and more often, the strange multicolored _kefta'd _Grisha would arrive at Keramzin, bearing gifts and words of "wisdom" from the one with flame-colored hair and a red _kefta._ The strange and handsome man with golden hair and hazel eyes would also make his occasional visits, laughing and talking with the couple late into the hours and offering them gifts of good-fortune and wealth.

The new life that the girl and boy shared was a content one.

The girl was still considered strange, still again telling the children of the flying ships, ivory dragons, and a bird who lifted on wings of flame. Still she painted the walls with the stories she knew, the stories she kept locked in her other identity.

She longed for her powers. Often she would graze her fingers into beams of light, pining for the strength she once knew, and felt the emptiness around her neck and wrists where Morozova's amplifiers would have been.

At night the girl sometimes whispers a name. The name of a boy whose name was lost to time and title. A boy with gray eyes, raven hair, and pale skin. It pained her to think of him, of the dagger she had driven into him, but the anger still lingered.

When the girl would get this way, the boy would come to her and hold her, whispering softly and kissing her, trying so deeply to understand the loss she felt for her powers. It didn't take a lot of strain, for the boy could feel the yawning void where his gift had been as well. Although _otkazat'sya, _the boy had given up _merzost _to save the one he loved, and had taken his life. He could no longer feel the making at the heart of the world, could no longer make rabbits out of rocks.

The time was evident when it was obvious that the girl was to bear a child, and the one who was once Malyen would go to her happily. He would kiss her slightly bulged stomach, run his hands along her back and smile, would put flowers in her hair and whisper his fond names to her. They were happy, overjoyed, even. The girl and boy would often spend more and more time together, dreaming about the child they could call their own, a child they could raise in a mansion surrounded by other children that would soon become it's friends.

One night the girl cried out, and after long night hours and the comfort of the boy, their child was born.

A beautiful baby girl with a lovely porcelain face, and eyes the color of glimmering gray quartz.


	2. One

**Chapter One**

Maybe I'm a monster, but I'll let you decide.

I blinked the sunlight from my eyes and pulled myself out of bed with a groggy disposition. Numbly I slid into a casual white tunic with a dark blue cape, secured _Volcrendei _to my hip, and looked into the mirror. _Volcredei _had been a gift from Nikolai, meaning "_volcra slayer", _and I had grown fond of the Grisha Steel that weighs in my palm. Nikolai said that he had the blade specially made, and smelted it with gold and ebony for the handle. He had given it to me for my birthday last year, and I seldom parted with it since then.

I tied my long black hair behind me, still allowing it to flow to between my shoulderblades, but not into my face.

Today I was being tested.

The thought hit me so hard I nearly dropped my brush onto the ivory of my dresser. After years and years of refusal and fear, I was finally being forced to take the test most took early on in life at the age of sixteen. I knew my parents were wary for some reason, they had caved in so quickly in response to my refusal to let the amplifiers near me, to test me for Grisha blood. Even now I had protested, but knew I couldn't stay clear of that chair any longer or Genya might have to tie me down.

I knew I was a Grisha. Even since I was small, I knew I was one. I felt my power whisper to me at night, felt it calling for me to release it. Only when I was alone did I, and I never told a soul.

I pinned the Lantsov double-eagle to my chest, and the sunburst pin I had "borrowed" while exploring Misha's room, then turned to leave. As I walked down the corridors, I began to hear the patter of small feet, just faint enough for me to pick them up. I continued walking for a few steps, then turned and jumped forward. My calico kitten, Najah, leapt up from the floor in terror at being found out, her mismatched eyes wide with fear. I smiled and lifted the frightened kitten from the floor. "Now then, Mother Oncat wouldn't be very proud of you, sneaking up on my heels, would she?" I said in a serious tone, wagging my finger in front of her face. She mewed and I set her on her rightful place perched on my shoulder.

As I trotted to the banister, I could smell the luscious breakfast cooking on the stove, seemingly mocking my senses.

I grinned madly at a familiar figure I could see standing in the doorway below, then jumped to the side of the banister, sliding down the slight spiral with practiced grace.

"Mishaa!" I yelled like a lumberjack. The young soldier turned just before I collided with him. Najah's claws were still embedded in my shoulder because of the sudden undaunted act.

Misha planted a kiss on my forehead happily. "Hey. Never seen you pull that little stunt before."

I flipped a strand of hair from my face. "Oh please. I practice often."

He opened his mouth to speak, but I interrupted, eager to hear his stories. "So what did you do? Did you find any Volcra that escaped the Fold? Did you talk to Nikolai? Did you-"

"Eladis!" Idrenne, the cook, snapped. "The boy just returned, give him some space."

I crossed my arms and jutted out my lip.

"It's alright. I can handle my flamboyant sister on my own." He said, cutting me a scornful look, then playfully rustling my hair. In truth, I wasn't his sister, but I might as well have been considering he was raised by my parents even before they took on the orphanage. I only had one sister, Karylon, but she was away helping some farms in an unnamed village. She was always the favored one.

"Misha," I whispered, deciding to get it out of the way. "My… testing is today." Misha's eyes widened. He had taken the test at age seven, but now the demand for Grisha was less and my parents allowed me to put it off. He was confirmed _ozakat'sya, _and joined the First Army when he turned eighteen. His fighting skills were really something to marvel at, and he teaches me when he comes home. I asked him where he learned, and he told me that my father had, in a hushed tone.

I don't know what my father has against me, but I suppose I could take a few guesses.

I mostly ignored him, as he did me, but I still longed for his notice. Nikolai had always been an idol to me, the closest thing I had to a father, and he did a pretty good job of it anyways.

Misha nodded and smiled nervously. "Okay.

If you are a… you know, I'll visit you often at the Little Palace."

I grinned. "So very overconfident, as always." Honestly he wasn't overconfident, but he seemed to know that I'd be Grisha.

He shuffled. "No, I mean just on the chance that you-"

I hugged him, cutting off his sentence. I was fairly tall, and was able to pull his shoulders down to me. "Okay."

My mother strode into the room, her platinum hair falling down her back, her paleness ignited by the morning sunlight. She smiled at me and hugged me, her slight frame pressing to mine of the same. "Good morning, Mother." I murmured.

She pulled away and looked into my eyes with her soft, liquid brown ones.

"Good morning." A twinge of softness laced her voice, something I seldom heard in a woman like her.

My father then ebbed in after her, holding his usual regards for me, and having his soldier way.

"Hello, Ehrik." Misha stated respectfully. My father nodded good-naturedly to the boy that he considered to be more of his child than I was. Still I whispered to him silently. "Father."

His blue eyes lingered over me for a moment, then he nodded back.

My mother gave a small nervous smile and I turned, for the Grisha would be here soon and I didn't want to keep them waiting with my hopeless emotions.

The carriage arrived not long after I indulged myself in the joys of a Keramzin orphanage breakfast, sitting with Najah as she toyed with the table-cloth. I was usually up before any of the other orphans, and today was no exception with their lateness. I enjoyed going to the meadow and shooting my bow, but I was hardly ever accompanied.

"There you are!" I heard the familiar squeal behind me.

I stood and turned to the very excited Genya standing in the doorway in the dining hall, her red locks falling around her lovely face. I noted that her eyepatch was now a silvery color, lined with red like her _kefta._ I grinned and went to her, and she put her arms around me, then pulled pack, holding my head in her hands. She made a clicking sound. "Such a lovely face, Elaid. Like your mother, or like her if she'd actually cared to let me help. Such a scrawny and hornery thing."

I just chuckled. "Yes, I believe that was mentioned on more than one occasion."

Genya gave me a dazzling smile and pulled me from the room by the hand. "We're waiting in here."

The study was lit at the hearth, and a cushioned chair sat at a safe distance away. A few children had just exited, having been through the testing already. A boy with dark brown hair sighed. "None this time. Not like there were very many orphans, or that we get many Grisha anyways."

I frowned. I knew it was true that Grisha were rare, but had the bloodlines dwindled?

Genya sat me on the chair with an 'oof' and trotted happily away.

The boy with dark hair stepped forward. "Okay, so you might feel something strange, and if you do, don't hold it back." I nodded, watching as his purple _kefta _reflected the firelight. He took my bare forearm and ran his fingers over it, then placed his hand firmly. I could feel something calling, a wild thing trying to claw or tear it's way from my body.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath and prepared myself to show the abilities I only have seen myself. Light poured from me.

I heard Genya gasp, but didn't stop. I let the light overcome me, and then… darkness. It was a different kind of power, a different kind of achieved bliss that radiated from my skin. The darkness was so pure, so frightening, but I made the void deeper than anyone could have imagined. I forced myself to stop, and diluted the darkness a little.

Eventually there was nothing, not even the feeling of his hand on my arm.

"Eladis." I heard my name, cold and clear. Genya grabbed my arm and my eyes flew open. "Hush." She hissed. "That caused quite a commotion, I'm going to tell your parents… the news."

I swallowed hard.

I saw my mother trying to look over Genya at me, and my father looking at the ground in silence. "Ali- I mean Anika! Calm down, I have news. Don't crowd her!" Reluctantly my mother shrank back into the other room. They didn't close the door all the way, and I could hear inside decidedly well.

"She's a Sun Summoner." Genya said hurriedly. I could hear a small sigh of relief.

"And a Darkling." She murmured. Of course I already knew, and had read enough books to know what a horrible mistake it was, but there have been Grisha with more than one ability. Namely Morozova, sometimes Sankta Alina and The Darkling in books. I couldn't take this anymore. I stood and walked into the room. They turned to me, eyes wide.

"I knew it." My father spat, his blue eyes focusing on the ground. "Ehrik," Mother consoled, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "No." He said. "I still hoped that…" He trailed off.

My mother looked at the ground. "I know. I did too."

"When can I leave?" I blurted. They all turned to me. "If I am what you say I am, I'm ready to go to Os Alta." The amplifier boy who had tested me gave a small bow.

"Yes, Moi Soverenyi." He stuttered, and I recoiled in surprise.

Mother looked at me with hurt in her eyes. "You don't have to leave, you know." I looked at my father, who said nothing.

"No." I say, the ferocity in my voice surprising me. "I'm leaving." And then I turned away, to go the place in the dark where I could once again read about Sun Summoners…

and Darklings.


	3. Two

**Chapter Two**

"Eladis?" My mother stood in the doorway to the study. I jolted awake, tears staining my cheeks. "Tell me the truth," I murmured softly to her. My mother shifted for a moment, and I was afraid that she hadn't heard, or that she didn't know what to tell the truth about, but she spoke.

"I was Alina Starkov." She breathed, as if her own name was alien to her. Somehow, I find this simple statement more believable than a lot of things she could have said. At the same time, I resisted the urge to bow to the saint I had read about and idolized for so long. Simply and quietly, I nod. "And my father?"

My Sankt of a mother looked at the ground. "I-I… The Darkling."

So I was a bastard. I nodded, having somewhat suspected this. I heard whispers before, and I was no fool to see that I bear no resemblance to my supposed father. Still, it was amazing to think I had such powerful Grisha for parents. I had read tons of books about my mother, each stating a different love interest or personality. Some say she was to wed Nikolai, some say she was sharing a bed with The Darkling, and some said she truly loved an _otkazat'sya _soldier. It was my best guess that my father had been this man, but I had no idea as to how Sankta Alina could have survived the fold to even get married. I looked to my mother, who was sitting now at a chair across from me. "Tell me everything. I want to know everything." Mother took a deep breath.

"It began long ago, when your father and I were to cross the fold…"

I listened intently to the stories my mother had locked away for so long, finally connecting the truths from the lies, and sharing what miracles she had and hadn't performed. I enjoyed hearing about Nikolai and his ship, his name of Sturmhond and the _Volkvolney, _I loved hearing of my mother's struggle for Ravka and all that was imbetween. I listened especially intently when she spoke of my true father, although I knew she didn't tell the whole truth or details about everything.

When she was done and concluded to her marriage to Mal Oretsev, I sat silent.

It was all so overwhelming, but I also felt an anger towards my mother instead of a fascination. Why didn't she tell me sooner? Was she afraid I would turn out like The Darkling?

"Mother," I said quietly. Alina Starkov looked at me, her brown eyes brimming with tears. "Thank you, Sankta Alina. I assure you, I will not be like my father."

She looked at the floor. "I know."

I pulled my mother into an embrace, then wiped my own tears on her shoulder.

"Come visit me." I whispered softly, barely audible. I felt her nod.

"All the time."

The next morning I was woken by the sound of whispering outside my bedchamber door.

"Oh, stop it! Just go in!" Genya.

There was a shuffling, and the door creaked open. Genya, Zoya, Adrik, Tamar, Tolya, David and Nadia all flooded in. Genya embraced me first, then Zoya, Tamar and Tolya, until we were all in a huge group hug. Najah leapt away from the bed in panic. Feverishly I let loose a laugh. "Hey guys! When did you get here?" Nadia opened her mouth but Zoya beat her to it.

"Oh, you know. When we heard our girl was a Grisha." I smiled silently and Zoya huffed. "I was getting a lovely treatment at the time."

Tamar punched her in the shoulder.

"It's amazing, isn't it? What are your abilities?"

So they hadn't been told.

"Sun Summoner." I told them quietly. Surprise and glee filled the faces of my relatives. Tolya wrapped me in his huge arms and kissed the side of my face.

"Wait." I said firmly as they turned to leave the room with me, probably already readying a bottle of kvas as I'd imagine. I called to the power, a weapon awaiting my command. Shadows climbed the walls, a dark wave threatening to crash on all of us.

"and a Darkling."

The stunned expressions on their faces said enough. "How..?"

"Morozova was more than one thing, he was not bound by laws of Grisha. Are dark and light not simply two sides of the same coin? Only volumes of the same item?"

They looked at each other, unsure. "Saints," Zoya breathed. "If you can already use your powers…"

"Then we can already guess at how powerful she is going to be." David finished.

"My mom couldn't at first?"

Everyone stared at me, wide eyed once again.

"She told me she was Alina. I know about my father and my _real_ father. I know everything."

Nadia shrinks into Tamar, Tolya stands dumbfounded, and Genya looks sadly at the ground as David's gaze on me doesn't waver.

Forever calculating.

"Well," He began. "I suppose that's a good thing." Everyone nods solemnly. Better for my mother to tell me now rather than I find out later. Besides, my heritage should give me some help with gaining trust… or in the case of my father probably get me killed.

We made our way down the stairs and outside, after I say a few parting words to the staff. My mother held me tightly, and Misha even shed a few tears. I shared few parting words with my father, but his icy gaze was far away.

On the way to Os Alta, Zoya and I talked about different ways to summon, and occasionally she and Genya would argue with tips on how to best style yourself for a celebration. I could barely pay them mind, my head was elsewhere, running faster than the carriage, all the way to Os Alta without breaking a sweat. Perhaps I was flying, high above Os Kervo by now, swooping in on my enormous wings. Najah purred gently in my lap.

I must have fallen asleep because soon the carriage pulled to a stop and Zoya was shaking my shoulder. I was a bit disappointed when I found that I had slept peacefully through the entrance to the capital city, along with the massive gates, but found the inside no less breathtaking. The pale steps that went up to the palace seemed forever long, an expansive sea that would mark my new life once I crossed them. What was even more heart-jarring was the pair of bright hazel eyes that looked at me from the top. I made an excited squeal and rushed to the king, paying no mind to the guards who took up weapons. My arms wrapped around Nikolai and pulled him in close to me, burying my head in his chest. He rested his chin upon the top of my head and hummed softly. "Hey, kid."

I grinned up at him and pulled away briefly to bow low and sarcastic. "Greetings, Your Royal Majesty." The guards would find my behavior strange, especially considering they had no knowledge that I'd met the boy king before. Nikolai grinned at me slyly and gave his own version of an exaggerated bow, even taking the liberty to hold back his cape. I laughed quietly and looked to my company below, who nodded and waved with a promise of carrying my bags.

As we walked around to the Little Palace, I took all of my time and thoughts to appreciating the ornate beauty of it, no matter how flashy. The Little Palace was by no means little, and I found myself gaping at the lovely walls. Before when I'd come to Os Alta, I was a guest to a party or gathering, but now I could look upon this place as my home. Najah trailed silently behind us, unaware that she would never see her old place again.

"And where would you like to stay?" Nikolai asked, arms outstretched. "Your mother's? The Darkling's? Or perhaps just a chamber of your own, but your skills are too special to just have you strewn anywhere." I gave him a nervous smile. Nikolai's smile faded. "Your mother actually stayed in the Darkling's chambers for the most part during the war, but don't worry, his symbols were taken down after his death." I gave a small nod. "I'll stay there, I suppose. I hear it's in need of remodeling." I accounted, remembering some of my mother's words. Nikolai grinned. "Ah, yes. I should have known your mother would have told you her opinion about that bit." Giving a small smile, I cast a glance over my shoulder as I walked past. "I'm thinking gold."

And then I walked away, down the halls. The king smiled and murmured something about me having 'Alina's spunk.'

Tolya carried my bags up to the door, where I dismissed him. Gingerly I touched my fingers to the cold metal of the knob, slightly afraid of what I might find inside, like The Darkling would be sitting by the window. I turned and opened the door.

The walls had small flecks of gold, but otherwise it was black, with a dresser and a bed to fill it.

I fell onto the bed, exhausted from travel and thought. Nikolai hadn't bothered to visit me since earlier, but I wasn't exactly in the mood for company anyways. I laid in a fetal position above the covers, letting my mind relax. The symbol of The Darkling was long since gone, but the washed shadow of where it hung above the door still left a whisper of it.

My eyes grew warily closed, and I didn't even attempt to call upon my powers in this strange new place.


End file.
